The aim of the research network is to develop innovative solutions and ideas for the efficient commissioning and validation of environment sensors of autonomous vehicles in production. The internationally oriented network is supported by the Federal Ministry of Economics (BMWi) through the ZIM funding programme, the „Central Innovation Programme for SMEs“.
The network consists of a total of 16 partners, mainly SMEs and companies such as DAIMLER AG, research institutions such as ZeMA (Centre for Mechatronics and Automation Technology) or DFKI (German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence) and associations such as autoregion e.V. Network management is handled by Ignite Group.
„As the initiator of the network, we see great added value in joint research for the European automotive industry in the cross-border transfer of knowledge, from idea development to industrialisation“.
Prof. Dr. Rainer Müller, Scientific Director of the ZeMA
By linking the international participants in the network, both the regional and European competitiveness of automotive suppliers in the Benelux region will be strengthened. The background of the network is on the one hand the great importance of automotive suppliers from the regions Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate, Wallonia, Lorraine and Luxembourg for Europe. They not only represent the largest supplier cluster in Europe, but are also responsible for approximately 140,000 jobs.
„We welcome the new research and development network of the automotive industry with our cooperation and the associated initiative of ZeMA and Ignite Group and look forward to the joint projects“.
Armin Gehl, managing director of autoregion.eV.
On the other hand, the automotive industry is facing a paradigm shift: Vehicles are increasingly automated by the use of sensors (cameras, ultrasound, radar, etc.). Today, drivers are already familiar with many assistance systems, such as lane departure warning systems or parking aids. However, the development towards autonomous driving will further drastically increase the number of assistance systems and associated sensors and the functionalities will become safety-critical: any malfunction can cause a fatal accident. At the same time, liability in the event of accidents moves from the driver to the manufacturer. Thus, an important aspect of the network is the efficient commissioning and functional validation of the sensors in the context of vehicle production. Until now, there has been no need for this and therefore no common solutions. However, in the future, production must ensure that the systems continue to function reliably after assembly and possible workshop visits.
„With the research network, we contribute innovative solutions to the challenges facing the automotive industry. This is an important milestone for the automotive suppliers of the Saarland and Europe“.
Dr. Marco Nesarajah, Network Manager Ignite Group
About Ignite Group
Ignite Group is a nationwide management consultancy based in Saarbrücken and Berlin. For more than 20 years the company has been dealing with the topics of innovation, research and development, technology promotion and financing. The focus is on SMEs from all industrial sectors. Many of them have already been accompanied for several years. Ignite Group has relevant experience in the management of networks such as the PerzPektive research network or the Innovation Forum Steel 4.0. The service also includes support at state, federal and EU level. Supported funding programmes include the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM), the EIC-Accelerator, the GRW investment grant and go-innovativ (go-inno).
Ignite Group is authorized by the Federal Ministry of Economics to issue consulting vouchers of up to 27,500 euros for the go-inno support program. Ignite Group is also certified by TÜV Süd to ISO 9001 and is a member of the Offensive Mittelstand and the Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft (BVMW).
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Research network „UmSenAuto“ on the subject of environmental sensors for autonomous vehicles approved by the Federal Ministry of Economics – download (german)
